Community Development Division

We help Montana communities offer safe, efficient, and quality public facilities, including streets, water and sewer services, and schools; affordable and attractive housing and neighborhoods; excellent health care facilities and social services; a vibrant economy; and job opportunities.

Meetings, Events, and Training

Participate in CDD Events!

The Community Development Division has listed below Hearings, Meetings, and Workshops that you are encouraged to participate in. Please email us or call 406-841-2770 for more information or questions about participating in these events.

The September 22nd Coal Board meeting will be available via webinar. If you have a presentation, photos, maps, or other visuals that you want to share via webinar during the public comment period or with your application, please provide your presentation one of two ways:
No later than September 15th, email your presentation or a link to your presentation if it is available on your website to DOCCB@mt.govPresentationmaterials may be available to individuals viewing the webinar.

In lieu of electronic presentations, applicants and members of the public can bring hard copies of materials and presentations to the meeting.

For more information on the Administrative Rule Making process (Click Here)

Draft documents are available at the links below:
Public and Community Facilities Draft Documents (Click Here)
Housing Draft Documents (Click Here)

Concerned persons may submit their data, views, or arguments either orally or in writing at the hearings. Written data, views, or arguments may also be submitted to the Department of Commerce, CDBG Program, 301 South Park Avenue, Box 200523, Helena, Montana 59620-0523; telephone (406) 841-2770; TDD 841-2702; fax 841-2771; or email DOCCDBG@mt.gov, and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 9, 2017.

The Department of Commerce will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this process or need an alternative accessible format of this notice. If you require an accommodation, contact the Department of Commerce no later than 5 p.m. on May 29, 2017 to advise us of the nature of the accommodations you need. Please contact Amy Peck, Department of Commerce, 301 South Park Ave, Box 200523, Helena, Montana 59620-0523; telephone (406) 841-2770; 841-2702; fax 841-2771; or email DOCCDBG@mt.gov

The Department of Commerce anticipates opening the next Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning Grant application cycle inearly July 2017; stay tuned for more information. If you are seeking planning grant funds in the coming months for a project in response to economic development distress or an economic development opportunity that has potential to create or retain jobs, we encourage you to contact the Big Sky Trust Fund Program to determine if your project is eligible for funding through their grant pool.

CTAPNotices/HTML

2017 BACI Action Institute

For those not familiar with the BACI Action Institute, it is a 3-day training and networking opportunity for Montana cities or counties interested in making their communities safer and more accessible for walking and bicycling. All travel costs to attend are included for those communities selected. Up to six community teams, representing multiple sectors, will be selected to attend the BACI Action Institute May 16-18, 2017, in Butte, Montana. Information about the Action Institute, who can apply, and the application are available on their website. They will begin accepting applications January 5 and the application closes onFebruary 10. There will be an informational webinar about this opportunity and the application process through the Montana Rural Health Initiative (RHI) on January 5th, 2017 at 10 a.m. Please go to their website to register for this webinar. We hope you will consider applying!

MainStreetNotices/HTML

The Department of Commerce Community Development Division will begin accepting Montana Main Street project grant applications for the FY 2018 application cycle on August 15, 2017. The Montana Main Street Program Guidelines and Grant Application may be accessed on our website. The Montana Main Street Program awards grant funding to member communities on a competitive basis and as funding allows. Applications are evaluated by the Department in the order they are received and grants will be awarded on a continual basis until all funds are allocated. Funding may be used to address long range community planning and revitalization needs as well as more specific priorities projects. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate the implementation of larger community vision and goals or as they relate to previous or concurrent larger planning efforts (such as a downtown revitalization plan, growth policy, historic preservation plan, etc.). If you have questions regarding the application process or guidelines, please contact Montana Main Street staff at (406) 841-2770 or by email at docmtmainstreet@mt.gov.

The Montana Building Active Communities Initiative (BACI) will hold a free one-day workshop in Miles City, Montana on July 18, 2017.

For those not familiar with BACI, it is a training and networking opportunity for Montana communities interested in creating safer and more accessible places for walking and bicycling. Normally a three-day training, this is the first time we are offering a one-day workshop to provide an overview of the key aspects of walkable communities and share resources and tools. Twenty-two Montana cities and counties have attended the 3-day training to date.

You are encouraged to bring several people from your community representing different sectors such as local government, health, recreation, education, community development, transportation, senior and disability advocates, non-profits and others. For more information and to register please see the attached BACI flier and visit our website to view the agenda. There are also many resources on our website you might find helpful.

Please forward this email to anyone you think might have interest in this training opportunity. Space is limited so please register early.

Draft 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan Public Comment Period and Public Hearing

The Montana Departments of Commerce and Public Health & Human Services announce the public comment period for the 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan. The 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan details to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) how the State of Montana intends to carry out its housing, economic, and community development goals and activities during plan year April 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018. The 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan is available for public comment beginning July 24, 2017 through August 7, 2017. All comments must be submitted to Commerce no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2017. The 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan will be available electronically at: http://commerce.mt.gov/conplan/documents, in hardcopy by request, or at select locations around the state. These locations may be found on our website: http://commerce.mt.gov/conplan/repositories.

In addition, the Departments would like to invite you to participate in the public hearing for the 2017-2018 Annual Action Plan. This public hearing will provide an overview of the Annual Action Plan requirements, affected programs, public participation process and report; as well as solicit input from attendees regarding the plan on the use of funds to assist communities with housing, infrastructure, and economic development.

Draft 2016-2017 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report Public Comment Period and Public Hearing

The Montana Departments of Commerce and Public Health & Human Services announce the public comment period for the Draft 2016-2017 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER). The CAPER is available for public comment beginning June 12, 2017 through June 26, 2017. The CAPER will be available electronically at:http://commerce.mt.gov/conplan/documents, in hardcopy by request, or at select locations around the state. These locations may be found on our website:http://commerce.mt.gov/conplan/repositories.

In addition, the Departments would like to invite you to participate in the public hearing for the Draft 2016-2017 CAPER for program year April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017. This public hearing will provide an overview of the CAPER requirements, affected programs, public participation process and report, as well as solicit input from attendees regarding the report on the use of funds to assist communities with housing, infrastructure, and economic development.

As you may know, House Bill 14 (HB14) was not transmitted out of the House; however, Senate Bill 367 (SB367) authorizes capital and infrastructure funding to complete various projects including $30 million for Quality Schools projects, $8.8 million for TSEP projects (that do not receive funding in House Bill 11), $5 million for state to community bond account grants, and various other projects.

The House Appropriations Committee meeting will be accepting public comment on SB367, a bonding bill that authorizes funding for capital and infrastructure projects statewide, and creating the state to community bond account for grants and state and local infrastructure accounts. Public comment regarding this bonding bill is scheduled for Friday, April 7, 2017 beginning at 8:00 a.m. in room 102 of the Capitol Building. The public hearing will allow time for project representatives to provide testimony to the committee. Please note, the committee will be hearing several bills and are likely to limit the amount of time available for public comment.

If project representatives are unable to attend the hearing in person, you may submit written testimony for your project to DOCCDD@mt.gov which will be provided to the House Appropriations Committee at the hearing. Please be sure to send all written testimony, if you are not able to attend, by 5:00 p.m. April 6, 2017.

On November 15, 2016, Governor Bullock released his 2019 Biennium Executive Budget. Included in Volume 8 of the Budget are the Governor’s recommendations to fund 9 school facility projects through the Quality Schools program, with a total appropriation of $5,413,013.98 for project during the 2019 Biennium.

The full Quality Schools program 2019 Biennium Report, including project funding recommendations for the 2019 Biennium project grants is now available on the Community Development Division website HERE.

TSEPNotices/HTML

HOMEUpdates/HTML

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released the FY 2017 Rent Limits and Income Limits for HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Housing Trust Fund (HTF). All updated limits are effective as of June 15, 2017. They are available on the HUD Exchange at the links below:

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released the FY 2017 Rent Limits and Income Limits for HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Housing Trust Fund (HTF). All updated limits are effective as of June 15, 2017. They are available on the HUD Exchanges at the links below: